Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson and running back Joe Mixon are good to go Sunday night against the Buffalo Bills after being limited this week with foot and chest injuries, respectively.
But head coach Zac Taylor did deliver some bad news Friday, announcing that safety and special teams maven Tycen Anderson tore his ACL in the 31-17 win against San Francisco and is out for the year.
Anderson suffered the injury early in the game but played through it before finally limping off the field after the final kickoff of the game.
How Will the Bengals Replace Tycen Anderson?
The second-year player out of Toledo missed his entire rookie year due to a hamstring injury and was coming on as one of special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons’ top players, winning the team’s Special Teams Player of the Week award after the Seattle game.
Anderson’s eight special teams tackles are five more than anyone else on the team.
The expectation is that the Bengals will elevate wide receiver Stanley Morgan from the practice squad to handle Anderson’s gunner role on punt and kickoff coverage. Anderson’s other roles on special teams will be filled by multiple players.
Anderson is a big reason why the Bengals rank fifth in kick return average, third in punt return average, fourth in kick return average against, and seventh in special teams DVOA.
MORE: Cincinnati Bengals Depth Chart
The loss of Anderson could be offset by the return of linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither. Taylor said he progressed well this week in his return from practice from a knee injury that cost him the last four games.
Davis-Gaither, who ranked second on the team in special teams snaps last year, is listed as questionable on the injury report after going limited all three days this week.
Mixon also is listed as questionable, but Hendrickson does not have a designation.
Backup offensive lineman Max Scharping showed up with a knee injury Friday and is questionable.
Defensive tackle Josh Tupou has been ruled out with a shoulder injury.
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